1. Knowledge Management using Business Process Modelling and Workflow Techniques
MSc in Artificial Intelligence
Student: Hsiang-Ling Kuo
Supervisor: Jessica Chen-Burger
Dave Robertson
17 November 2018

2. Outline Problem & Solution Aim Work Conclusion Future Work
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3. Problem
Business are becoming larger and more diverse, the operation is more complex than before
Information technology is widely applied in business operations, it still lacks a precise way of communicating between business model and software system development.
The “gap” between Enterprise Models (EM) and Software Systems
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4. Bridging The Gap between EM and Software Systems
Enterprise Models (EM)
Software System
Development
Business
Model
Relational
DBMS
Workflow
System
Business Process
Model
Automating BPM
OO DBMS
Organisational
Model
Other Software
Systems
Mapping of Data Structure
+ Concepts
Ontology
UML Class
Diagram
Capability
Model
Quality
Assurance
Data Model
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5. Solutions
Make use of one type of EM method: Business Process Modelling (BPM) Method to bridge the gap
Build a workflow system (WFS) based on a business process model
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6. Aim
Design a formal representation (called FBPML WorkFlow Language “FWFL”) that has a direct mapping to FBPML
Design and implement a generic workflow system that is domain independent and has a direct mapping to FBPML + FWFL and its execution logic, but is open in its implementation details to allow multiple variations according to context
Design a three-level framework to analyse the business process model
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7. Work
Review standard process modelling languages, IDEF3 and PSL, then introduce a business process modelling language “FBPML” resulting from their merger
Create a formal representation and define a workflow language called “FWFL” based on “FBPML”
Design and implement a workflow engine based on FWFL and demonstrate it using case studies
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8. Work (Cont.)
Describe a three-level framework to verify and analyse the business process
Discuss the complexity of business process models is discussed
The comparison between FBPML + FWFL, the application of Petri-Nets to workflow management and the research work done in the University of Queensland
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9. Review IDEF3 PSL (Process Specification Language)
A process flow and object state description capture method
A domain expert can express knowledge about the operation of a particular system or organization
A well-throughout graphic notation
PSL (Process Specification Language)
An interchange language with which allows applications to exchange discrete process data
Facilitates the communication between those applications by using PSL-based translators
A well-defined ontology and formal semantics
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10. Fundamental Business Process Modelling Language (FBPML)
A visual modelling language that is a merger of IDEF3 and PSL
It can support software and workflow system development
The notation of FBPML
Three types of nodes: Main Node, Junction and Annotation
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11. FBPML--Main Nodes and Junction Types
Source: Chen-Burger (AKT project)
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12. The semantics of four types of junctions
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13. A Business Model example using FBPML
Adapted form AKT project
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14. FBPML WorkFlow Language -- FWFL
A workflow language which is directly mapped to FBPML
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15. The Definition of FWFL-- process
process(ProcessId, ProcessName, Pstate, TrigCond, PreCond, Action)
Example 1:
process(a, receiveCustomerReq, Pstate,
[exist(event_occ(EventId,custom_req_for_pc_spec,created,
attribute(Attr)))],
[true],
[create_entity(attribute(Attr))]).
Example 2:
process(b, autoCreateOrderNumber, Pstate,
[exist(data([customer-name/NameV,customer-tel/telV])),
delay_time(4)],
[add_attribute(attribute([solution([customer-
orderNo/OrderNoV])]))]).
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16. The Definition of FWFL-- instance
instance(InstanceId, InstanceName, Istate,
TrigCond,
PreCond,
Action,
BeginT/EndT)
Example 3: (The instance of example 2)
instance(b-i-'John',autoCreateOrderNumber,Istate,
[true],
[exist(data([customer-name/'John',customer-tel/' ])),
delay_time(4)],
[add_attribute(attribute([solution([customer-orderNo/'001'])]))]),
1/2).
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17. The Definition of FWFL -- entity
entity(EntityName, EntityId, EntityState, EntityAttribute)
Example 4:
entity_occ(ioBoard, io2, valid,
attribute([ioBoard-type/io2, ioBoard-slot/4,
ioBoard-length/long,
ioBoard-capability/(normal-graphics-long)]))
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18. The Definition of FWFL -- Junction and Model
junc(ModelId, JunctionType, PreProcesses, PostProcesses)
Example 5:
junc(m1,start,[],[a]).
junc(m1,link,[a],[b]).
junc(m1,or_split,[b],[c,d,e,f,g]).
junc(m1,and_joint,[c,d,e,f,g],[h]).
junc(m1,end,[h],[]).
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19. FWFL Workflow system Architecture
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20. FWFL Workflow System Flowchart
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21. Workflow Meta-Interpreter
*** Top level ****
execute(Step):-
initial_state(flow_state(FState,T)),
execute_flow([initial],[],1,Step,T,flow_state(FState,T)).
*** main predicate ***
% BaseCase: Compare "StepSofar" and termination "Step" which is
given from the user. If Step = 'User define' then exit flow.
execute_flow(MState,ProcessAgenda,StepSofar,Step,T,flow_state(FState,T)) :- Step is StepSofar - 1.
% Another baseCase: at the end of each Model State and ProcessAgenda=[] then exit flow.
execute_flow(MState,[],StepSofar,Step,T,flow_state(FState,T)): check_mstate(MState).
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22. Workflow Meta-Interpreter
% Case1: When there are new events, create instances of the business process model.
execute_flow(MState,ProcessAgenda,StepSofar,Step,T,flow_state(FState,T)):-
check_event(MState,NewMState),
execute_flow(NewMState,ProcessAgenda,StepSofar,Step,T,flow_state(FState,T)).
% Case2: When there are no new events, execute the junctions for the instances of the business process model.
\+ check_event(MState,_NewMState),
do_junction_process(MState,[],NewMState,ProcessAgenda,
NewProAgenda,FState,T),
execute_process(NewProAgenda,NewProAgenda,NewProAgenda1,FState,NFs,T),
update_time(T,NewT),
update_step(StepSofar,NewStep),
execute_flow(NewMState,NewProAgenda1,NewStep,Step,NewT,
flow_state(NFs,NewT)).
17 November 2018

23. Workflow Meta-Interpreter
% Case3: When there are no new events and execution failure of the junctions for the instances of the business process model.
execute_flow(MState,ProcessAgenda,StepSofar,Step,T,flow_state(FState,T)):-
\+ check_event(MState,NewMState),
\+ do_junction_process(MState,[],NewMState,ProcessAgenda,
NewProAgenda,FState,T),
execute_process(ProcessAgenda,ProcessAgenda,NewProAgenda,FState,NFs,T),
update_time(T,NewT),
update_step(StepSofar,NewStep),
execute_flow(MState,NewProAgenda,NewStep,Step,NewT,flow_state(NFs,NewT)).
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24. State Transaction Diagram
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25. Three-level Framework
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26. Model Behavior Level
Considers the overall model behavior to find the appropriate topology for the BPM
Carries out the syntactic critiques
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27. Syntactic Critiques
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28. Detailed Model Testing Level
Captures the topology features from level 1, eliminates impossible execution sequences
Carries out the semantic critiques
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29. Semantic Critiques
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30. Instantiation of Business Scenario Level
Executes the business process model using business scenarios (entity data) in a particular domain and attempts to validate the model
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31. Complexity of a Single Model
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32. Results of Complexity
The “Or_split” and “Or_Joint” have the greatest influence on the complexity
The complexity of a business process model has at least the factorial rate of growth. It is impossible to carry out all the possible execution results
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33. Complexity of Combined Models
A model finishing with an And_Joint junction
A model finishing with an Or_Joint junction
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34. A model finishing with an And_Joint junction
The possible execution sequence 2! * 3! = 12
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35. A model finishing with an Or_Joint junction
Assumption: all the triggered processes must be finished before the final process of each connected model
The complexity is O(n+m)!
When m=0, it represents the complexity of the “And-Or” model
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36. Conclusions
Because the formal semantics and graphic notation of FBPML and the formal representation of FWFL which is directly mapping to FBPML, a business process may be easily defined and executed through a simple procedure
The workflow meta-interpreter is based on FBPML + FWFL, it accepts the input specifications and execute the business process model directly
17 November 2018

37. Conclusions (Cont.)
The three level-framework provides a thorough test, which is useful when analysing a business process model
The complexity of a business process model has at least the factorial rate of growth. It is impossible to carry out all the possible execution results
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38. Future Work
The FWFL workflow language should be enhanced, especially focusing on the formal specification of the communication issues
The priority issue among processes and “Role” concept should be involved in the FWFL workflow engine
More clear definition of validation and verification in a business process model
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39. Future Work (cont.)
Consider the decomposition and iteration of the business process
A graphic user interface may be integrated into FWFL
Resources management may be considered as part of the workflow system
17 November 2018